DO YOU get distracted by TV shows when you are supposed to be doing something else? It is surprisingly common and research has shown 15 per cent of us actually cause damage to our home while watching TV, with the cost exceeding a massive £20m across the UK!

According to the research, by MORE TH>N Insurance, the most common incidents include forgetting to turn a sink or bath tap off (36%), burning food in the oven by leaving it in for too long (33%) and leaving pans on the stove, causing causing fires (14%).

What’s more, the total cost of damage caused because of these mishaps was found to be a whopping £20,150,268 across the UK

The five television shows that have resulted in the most distraction and damage includes Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, the X-Factor, Britain’s Got Talent and the Great British Bake Off.

Breaking Bad tops the list of ‘most dangerous shows’, with Walter White’s exploits causing a fifth (19%) of all reported emergency incidents in British households. The study found the average cost of damage per Heisenberg-induced case was as high as £466.81, with burning food in the oven (48%), kitchen flooding (17%) and pan fires (13%) the most common misfortunes stemming from the gripping drama.

The results make equally stark reading for Game of Thrones lovers, with the popular HBO series in second with a 15% share of recorded incidents and a mean ‘cost of damage’ per case coming in at £252 for those overly caught up in the world of Westeros.

Viewers of X Factor meanwhile would appear to be taking more interest in Judge’s Houses than their own, as the talent show finished third in the rankings, accounting for 14% of recorded cases, at an average cost of £581 per incident for unlucky fans of the series.

The Top 10 list is...

Breaking Bad

Game of Thrones

X Factor

Britain’s Got Talent

Great British Bake-Off

Stranger Things

Orange Is The New Black

Downton Abbey

Poldark

Walking Dead

The survey results support the notion of Britain being a truly TV-obsessed nation, with a quarter (26%) of people admitting to have binge watched a show for over five hours in one sitting. Other things Brits are guilty of doing while absorbed in a programme includes ignoring the phone (30%), leaving clothes in the washing machine (21%), oversleeping the following day (12%) and tripping while rushing back to the TV set after an ad break (9%).

Graham Nicholls, head of home insurance at MORE TH>N, said: “While it is certainly great to have so much exciting TV on offer, our research reveals the possible risks these enthralling shows pose to your home, which could potentially have costly ramifications if you allow yourself to get overly distracted from everything that’s happening around you when watching.

“Our ‘most dangerous shows’ ranking is a fun way to raise awareness around the issue, encouraging people to take extra care around the home and help them avoid acquiring a hefty bill when watching television.”